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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725054">Burnt Soul</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKnightOfAGoodKing/pseuds/AKnightOfAGoodKing'>AKnightOfAGoodKing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicidal Thoughts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:42:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKnightOfAGoodKing/pseuds/AKnightOfAGoodKing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Jack's soul could not withstand the intensity of Red Nova's familiar?</p><p>
  <b>[DO NOT REPOST/REUSE MY WORK(S) WITHOUT MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND PERMISSION]</b>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Atlas/Crow Hogan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. At the Beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A short I wrote on Discord and extended.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Jack Atlas died, the earth shook, but <em>that was</em> not the doing of the Red Demon who rose onto <em>his</em> feet, <em>his</em> chin held up with a sharp smile on <em>his</em> face. <em>His</em> purple eyes glinting with joy.</p><p>He gave his fire servant, who was bowed lowly onto his face and knees, a soft admission of pride, a praise for his loyalty and his victory, for this beautiful vessel that the familiar had offered him. Then the Demon swept his eyes to the dirty stone ground of this ruined temple that was the womb that protected him for the past millennia, and he lingered indifferently at the bodies that lay there, limp and empty. These were the sacrifices whose lives were used for his resurrection. They will be remembered, without name, without care, remembered only because they were the friends of the Red Demon's vessel. In his last breath, Jack Atlas shook the earth, mourning for those he swore to protect, the very ones he'd failed.</p><p>Perhaps, if he tried harder, they'd all be alive, and the Red Demon would be lost to time once again. Perhaps, his will was never enough, and that this had always been his fate, and the fate of those who followed him into the dark. But those musings were worthless to the Red Demon who turned away without a pause, and he took his first step of freedom, unable to hide the excited glowing in his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>There is the world to rule once again.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There's another part, it gets darker.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In the End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One by one, the people Crow loved start dropping like flies, all the while, Red Demon Jack keeps <em>him</em> like a trophy, a pet, a bird in a <em>literal</em> cage. Crow would weep every time he returns becuase <em>he</em> took everything Crow loved: his brothers, his friends, his mother, <em>his kids</em>. He saw the bodies, they were laid outside his prison, close enough to see their lifelessness but too far to reach through the bars.</p><p>"You have no choice but to love me now," the Red Demon says, smiling cruelly as he leans closely to the cage, "to worship me, to adore me. I am the last semblance of everything you ever loved. You dispise me, but you would never destroy me." And the inhuman glint of his eyes faded away, and there was the Jack Crow once knew. </p><p>"Because you'll always love me, won't you, Crow?"</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>He tried—he really did—to end his life, but every attempt ended in mockery. Every wound, every break in his body healed up in a blink of an eye, and he was put back together again, his skin stitched without scars, his bones mended without cracks. If he had known, he would've done it so much earlier, right when he lost his duel against the Red Demon, but it was too late; he wasn't <em>human</em> anymore. Death was no longer an option, not without permission, but everything still hurt, his injuries, his heart. He mourned for the people he loved, yearn to be with them again, and he was alone now, alone with <em>him</em>.</p><p>"Come here."</p><p>Crow shuddered at the sound his voice, but the Familiar turned, his feet carrying him from the large window wall of the remade KC Tower to the throne that rested on the other side of the room. He didn't lift his head as he walked, the bells at his ankles jingling with every step he made. He felt like glass, heavily decorated with jewelry he would've never worn before. Before all this.</p><p>When he saw tips of white shoes, he stopped, knowing that he had gone far enough. He didn't resist when his hand was grabbed, a pair of lips pressing against his knuckles. They were gentle and warm, and he fell into the Demon's pull easily, his body limp on his master's lap. Crow sank against him out of weariness, into the hold of arms around him out of desperation.</p><p>Nobody else touched him these days. There was no one else.</p><p>"Are you well?" the Demon asked, pressing a kiss on Crow's shoulder, and a hand snaked over his stomach. There was a bump there now, and it was growing.</p><p>"Yes, Master," the Familiar replied quietly, the conflict of disgust and love warring in him again. He was carrying another life within him, and it was his. And he dreaded to converse with the Demon of it, for it was a constant reminder that it was <em>his</em> too. In Crow's dreams, it was Jack's, only Jack's.</p><p>It had been four months, and to this day, Crow wasn't sure if he would get to keep it. If he was allowed to love anything else, or if the Demon will take it from him. Crow wanted it, he wanted it so badly, <em>please</em>.</p><p>"Good," the Demon said, rubbing Crow's bump now almost fondly. "Have you picked a name?" </p><p>Caught by surprised, Crow turned his head to look at the Demon, something he hated to do, but that question had filled him with hope, hope that maybe his master could be merciful. The Demon looked back at him with indifferent purple eyes, raising an eyebrow, not encouraging, just observing.</p><p>"Yū . . . Yūsei," Crow whispered, a sob escaping his lips. He hadn't spoken that name in so long, but he wanted to. He wanted to love <em>Yūsei</em> again. He blinked and sheded a single tear, and there was almost a smile on his lips. </p><p>The Demon smiled too, a full one with a sharpness to its corner. "How adorable," he said, scrapping a sharp nail over Crow's belly. It moved like a knife, ready to peirce him. "You really miss him, don't you?" And then a dark glow filled his eyes, the air growing cold and thin. "You can name it that, if that's what you wish." </p><p>Crow held his breath, dread slowly blurring his vision.</p><p>"And then I'll kill it."</p><p>Tears began to fall again without permission. They were endless these days, and they always made Crow's eyes hurt. His heart hurt, his soul. He was so tired, he wished only for relief. </p><p>"Do you understand me, Crow?" </p><p>". . . Yes, Master." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A sort of continuation: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28745529">Right Here</a></p><p>Check out my YGO Tumblr: <a href="https://the-kings-of-games.tumblr.com">@the-kings-of-games</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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